Synthetic multiphase products, such as emulsions and foams, are unstable and will separate out into their separate phases unless they are stabilised in some way. Typically, synthetic multiphase products are stabilised by the addition of surfactants that adsorb to the interface between the phases and stabilise those interfaces by lowering the interfacial tension. The life-time of these stabilised synthetic multiphase products is greatly increased, resulting in a greater shelf-life.
Synthetic multiphase products that comprise foams, and foamable products, also require a foaming agent that will increase the extent of foaming of the liquid component of the synthetic multiphase product (i.e. an agent that will increase the amount of gas that can be incorporated into the synthetic multiphase product).
Surfactants used to stabilise multiphase food products, such as mousses, creams, and ice cream, for example, must be safe to eat and therefore, natural protein surfactants, such as sodium caseinate and whey protein isolate are often used.
However, many surfactants may perform well in isolation, but in the presence of co-surfactants, their performance may degrade dramatically. For example, the group of fungal protein surfactants, hydrophobins, stabilise multiphase systems but perform poorly when co-surfactants are present.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a synthetic multiphase product comprising a surfactant that stabilises synthetic multiphase products in the presence of co-surfactants.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved method of stabilising multiphase systems, such as synthetic multiphase products.